Exercise My Dog

Exercise and Dogs with Diabetes

My stepmother wasn’t feeling well a couple of weeks ago and she asked me to pick her dog up from the vet. PIg had been a little lethargic and was drinking a lot of water. My S-Mom thought Pig might have picked up something from the boarding kennel when she and Dad were in Mexico last month. The vet told me nope, the dog has diabetes and started rattling off instructions and a follow-up appointment. When I got Pig home, I don’t think my stepmother really believed a dog could be diabetic and called the vet. I wanted to say–but didn’t–well, S-Mom with a name like Pig….

Even veterinarians are also seeing more pets with diabetes. And one of the major causes is obesity. Diabetes in pets is often controlled with a specific diet and medication including insulin. Careful portion control and timing of food intake is important. But exercise is crucial for a three reasons:

• weight loss - Eating healthy and moving more is the basic formula for losing weight. Weight loss helps lower elevated blood glucose levels.
• weight control - Weight control with diabetes is an essential part of successful treatment. Naturally, any weight gain can make diabetes worse. Managing a good weight helps keeps all the body’s systems, including blood sugar levels, in balance.
• better blood circulation - exercise generally causes the blood glucose to decrease as muscles pull energy from blood glucose. So, as the dog exercises, the blood glucose decreases. Exercise also helps your dog to absorb insulin better which also causes the blood glucose to drop. In fact, exercise can increase the rate at which insulin is absorbed.

Exercise Tips for Dogs with Diabetes

These are general tips, but please, always talk to your dog’s vet for the best course of action for your pet.

Pick an exercise your dog will find fun, but is low-key. The activity should be reasonable for your dog’s temperament, age, and health. Walking is always a safe bet, but hiking, swimming, and other low-key activities are fine and provide variety. A low-key activity is something you dog can do without panting.

But don’t go overboard with weight loss–a little bit of activity goes a surprisingly long way. If your dog has been inactive, you definitely need to start small, 10 to 15 minutes at a time. It is better to do a little bit most days, than to cram 30 minutes of workout in a couple of days.

It is important to keep their activity level the same from day to day. Try to exercise at the time of day for the same length of time. It helps you both get into the habit, but it also gives her body time to adjust to the changes. In fact, if your dog’s activity changes drastically one day from the previous, her blood glucose levels can surge and really endanger your dog’s health.

Always, take a little sweetener like Karo syrup with you when you walk or exercise. If your dog over-exercises and her blood sugar drops, you will see strange behavior, anything from dizziness to fatigue to convulsions. If so, give your dog a little sugar, and you should see a difference right away.

Remember, make changes one at a time. Go slow, go gradual. But do go!

Exercise and the Cocker Spaniel

The spaniel breeds dates back at least 500 years in the UK, originally bred to flush out woodcocks for hunters to shoot. The American Cocker Spaniel was bred in the late 1800s from the English Cocker Spaniel and was brought to Canada and the United States. This is the smallest hunting dog breed.

Breed type	Sport / Gun / Hunting dog
Physical characteristics	compact sized dog with strong, straight legs long ears, almost reaching the nos profuse, thick, silky medium to long coat
Personality	moderate-energy dogs friendly to people, good with children, can get along with other dogs sweet, cheerful and eager to please playful, but sensitive–they don’t take well to teasing or harsh training
Best exercises	Because these dogs are bred to accompany hunters, they do have a lot of stamina, but are only moderately energetic. They usually aren’t bouncing off the walls if they don’t have regular exercise, but you still need to let them burn off some energy. Walks – long, steady walks are great. Running – with conditioning, Cocker Spaniels are good running dogs for short times (20 – 30 minutes a couple days a week). Start slowly and consider keeping her coat shorter. Hiking – long, low-key hikes are great, just watch that his coat doesn’t get tangled in branches and bramble. Agility – Cocker Spaniels have enough energy for this sport and many do compete. If you think it’s right for your dog, you can train for fun or for competition. See more here. Dog Parks – because Cocker Spaniels are generally friendly with other dogs, if you feel yours if well socialized, let her romp with friends for a bit.
Suggested exercise plan	1 session / day for 20 - 30 minutes each

Going to the Dog Park

With the weather warming up, you can once again look to taking your pooch to a dog park for a romp. Dog parks can be a great place for dogs to work out some energy in the way they love, through play with friends. (And you all you have to do is sit there and watch.) Here are some things you need to consider before going.

Dog Park Etiquette

• Read the rules of the park as you go in and heed them. This makes the park safe and fun for all.
• If your dog is new to the dog park, take small steps. Visit a few times and watch from outside the gate. You’ll get him or her used to the idea and you’ll get a sense of if your dog can handle it.
• In fact, you and your dog will have very good visits if she or he is trained, at the least, to come when called.
• Exercise your dog before you go to drain a little energy. According to Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan, “This way he’ll be relaxed, but will still engage the other dogs.” Ideally, a walk to the dog park will be a good warm up.
• Not only do you want to keep your dog in sight, but you should make contact with him or her. Occasionally talk to your dog a calm, assertive voice and with eye contact to remind him you are there and in charge.
• Make sure your dog is protected with all the vet-recommended shots before you go. Dogs can pick up worms and diseases such as parvo at a dog park — or anyplace else dogs congregate. Also, make sure he or she has had their regular heartworm and flea medication. And please, clean up after your dog.
• Do keep a regular collar and dog tag on your dog at all times, but absolutely unleash her. Otherwise, she can become a target for other dogs to “investigate” which can create anxiety or defensiveness in the leashed dog and provoke a situation.
• When dealing with other dog, learn canine body language is a good idea. Sometimes, people do not recognize signs of true aggression and assume the dogs will “work it out”, or, on the other hand, may overreact to what is healthy dog play.
• It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, not all dogs should attend dog parks. Obviously aggressive dogs would not be a good idea. Anxious or fearful dogs may be too overwhelmed and overreact. Puppies should be at least four months old and fully vaccinated.
• Do not bring small children into a dog park. A dog that is socialized with other dogs, may still be unfamiliar with children. And young children don’t know dog-appropriate behavior.
• If the park is full, just wait for another time to visit.